Italian restaurant redo features alfresco dining

LIMA — With a new menu and renovation, the former Burgundy’s reopens Thursday as Giovanni’s Cucina Italiana Restaurant with a ribbon-cutting and open house.

Jon Kriegel bought the restaurant in November, promising an investment. Diners will see a new outdoor dining space that seats 70, expanded selection of wine that’s also available for retail purchase, a private dining room available for rental, an updated interior and new menu.

The ribbon-cutting hosted by the Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce will begin at 4:30 p.m. An open house will begin at 6:30 p.m. featuring live music from Chuck Summers. The restaurant opens at 3:30 p.m. Thursday with a full menu.

“Diners know how to eat; they celebrate the pleasures of the table with gusto,” Kriegel said. “We’ll be serving house-made pasta dishes and simmering steaks. We make things with fresh, quality ingredients.”

Kriegel also own’s the J’s restaurants in Lima, Eastgate and Celina. The corporate office includes a bakery where everything from croutons to desserts are made fresh daily. He’s using the same concept for the new place, with fresh, quality ingredients and food made from scratch.

“We bake our own bread. We cut our own steaks. We’re going to offer a $13.99 old world pasta feature. Five to choose from and you can pick a second one to take home,” Kriegel said. “I just want people to come here and taste this food. We’re so excited about it.”

The patio features large awnings, fire places, flat-screen TVs and a bar area with outdoor oven. Inside includes open dining, a bar area and the Portofino Room, that seats 40 and can be rented for business meetings, family get-togethers or other private functions.

Giovanni’s is open for lunch and dinner, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays.

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